


The Pokemon AU That Nobody Asked For

by ApprenticedMagician



Series: 2014 BBC Merlin Fest [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Pokemon AU, darkish, mention of animal testing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 01:44:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10063484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApprenticedMagician/pseuds/ApprenticedMagician
Summary: Exactly what's on the tin; our favourite Big Four try their hand at becoming Pokemon Masters and do about as well as you'd expect.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this piece was Crossover. Don't ask me why I thought to crossover with Pokemon. But Pokemon was big on my dash for some reason in 2014. I know it started with deanpendragon on tumblr insisting that Merlin would own a Sylveon if he existed in the world of Pokemon.

It was the excited shouts of the crowd that drew Merlin to turn left and investigate the square a block away from the Poke̒ Centre he had just left. Emrys, his Sylveon, strained from her perch atop his head and backpack, similarly curious about what sounded like a battle right in the middle of the city. And if the surrounding crowd was any indication, then it was a heated battle – probably high-profile trainers or well-known rivals. Merlin grinned in excitement, battles between rivals were his favourite to witness.

Choosing the Poke̒ball on his belt, Merlin released Merlin Jr, a proud-looking Swellow, and instructed him to fly over the crowd and pick out a good place for spectating. Crowing in understanding, Merlin Jr sped off and circled the mass of people – seriously, Merlin understood that this was Lumiose City and as such was the largest, busiest city in all of Kalos but there were far too many people around (and too many _damn_ coffee shops) – crowing again and flying in place once he had found what Merlin wanted.

It was still a fight through the crowd to get to where Merlin Jr was flying but it was worth the pushing and shoving to be able to clamber atop some wooden boxes and see above everyone else. Another girl was already there, generously admiring Merlin Jr’s feathers and coaxing him to perch on her arm so she could smooth them out. A Flabe̒be̒ danced around her head, obviously trying to steal back the attention of what must be her trainer. By the looks of it, Merlin thought the girl could use someone to smooth down her own hair, which sprung out each way it could, despite the cap she wore to try and tame it down.

“Hey, is this Swellow yours?” she asked, seeing Merlin jump up beside her. “He’s got a lovely plumage. You must take really good care of him.”

“Yeah, well, I take care not to bash him around in battles too often,” Merlin explained, nudging Emrys onto one shoulder so Merlin Jr could perch on the other one. It seemed rude to stuff him back in his ball after having just stretched. Merlin nodded towards the battle in front of them. “D’you know who’s battling?”

The girl nodded. “The Arcanine belongs to Arthur and the Houndoom is Morgana’s,” she pointed as she explained, gasping with the rest of the crowd as the Arcanine narrowly missed a nasty crunch from the Houndoom. “They’re brother and sister, I grew up next door to them back in Snowbelle City.”

“All the way from Snowbelle, huh? Must have been an adventure getting here.”

“Oh, we didn’t travel together! Not that we couldn’t have, it’s just – well, Morgana went east to Santalune City and Arthur and I went west towards Couriway Town, met up with some relatives. The two of them have always been a bit competitive, though not in a malicious way, and they were both quite determined to prove that they would be fine travelling on their own. Prove to their father, that is, not to each other. They like to battle and banter as if they’re mortal rivals and they would _never_ admit it but they really are the best ally either of them has. If you think this is exciting, you should see them partner up in a double battle!”

She kept on talking but Merlin had switched from being charmed by her fumbled speech to being thoroughly engrossed in the battle – Morgana had just mega evolved her Houndoom!

* * *

 “How long have you been waiting to pull that one out of your sleeve?”

Morgana wore a gleeful grin and gave a proud, solid pat to her faithful Houndoom. “I had to wait until you thought you had the advantage – give it the grand, unexpected entrance it deserved.”

Arthur sulked a bit more, spraying a Burn Heal onto the front leg of his similarly sulking Arcanine. “Just don’t think it was anything more than a one-time trick, alright? We’ll be ready for you and Mordred next time.”

Morgana and Mordred – the Houndoom – snorted in haughty reproach but Gwen and Merlin returned with lunch before any more could be said.

“Still sulking, Arthur? Caliburn?” Gwen called out.

Caliburn straightened his posture at Gwen’s accusation, ruffling his mane a bit to try and look more impressive. Arthur rolled his eyes; Caliburn had always been a bit of a sucker for Gwen’s approval and affection, ever since he was less a proud and majestic Arcanine and more an attention-seeking lapdog of a Growlithe. Arthur would think his Poke̒mon had a crush on Gwen if she didn’t have that effect on nearly _every Poke̒mon that had ever met her_. The newcomer’s Swellow was already enamoured with her, doing loop-de-loops and other aerial tricks to steal her attention.

“They’ve been horrible,” Morgana gleefully reported and was quick to grab food from Gwen’s arms to lighten the load and began dividing it out for everyone, Poke̒mon and trainer alike. “Thank you, by the way, for buying lunch. It was sweet of you to treat, Gwen.”

“Oh, it wasn’t me,” Gwen hurried to explain, “Merlin paid for it all.”

“All?”

Merlin tried to brush off Morgana’s appreciated surprise. “Think of it as a ‘thank you’ for the fantastic battle.”

“We weren’t battling to make a show,” Arthur interrupted, a bit snappier than he would usually mean to be but Caliburn’s burns weren’t healing very well despite the potion he was applying.

“Then think of it as a ‘thank you’ for treating me to your delightful company,” Merlin snapped back, dumping the food in his arms on the picnic table and moving to look at Caliburn’s injury himself. Arthur didn’t really like strangers so close to his prized partner but he was willing to hold his tongue for his earlier cheek. “Ouch,” Merlin winced, “sure looks nasty.”

“It should,” Morgana said, a bit apologetically, “burns from a Houndoom are rumoured to always hurt.”

“Nah, nothing hurts forever,” Merlin said, picking out a Pokeball on his belt. A gruff-looking Stoutland appeared and Merlin spouted off a list of herbs and plants. Wheezing in understanding, the aged Pokemon slowly paced away down a street, looking for gardens and other public parks around the city. “When he gets back,” Merlin explained, searching his pack for some Healing Powder, “I’ll mix up a super effective medicine for your Arcanine. My mom owns her own herb garden out in the country; I learned loads about medicine from her.”

Arthur didn’t look completely reassured. “That’d be great, if your Stoutland manages to come back at all. Are you sure he can handle the city?”

Merlin laughed. “Old Gaius was a middle-aged Herdier when I was born – he’s a hardy little fella, he’ll be fine.”

“Food’s ready!” Gwen called.

Both boys perked up at the mention of food. Smiling, they wandered to the picnic table, releasing all their Poke̒mon as they walked and the girls did the same.

Gwen enjoyed sneaking Diggersby – Papa D – some extra treats while she watched her Skiddo and Fennekin playfully chase and jump after Flabe̒be̒.

Morgana tried coaxing her newest Pokemon Espurr from behind her Skarmory’s – Aithusa’s – feet, promising that neither Mordred nor Trevenant were as frightening as they looked. Her shiny Aegislash was off to the side, comparing its shine and sharpness with Merlin’s regularly coloured Honedge.

Some of Merlin’s other Poke̒mon were nearby, Emrys busy chasing the sun glares that the two sword Pokemon gave off while Merlin Jr and Gaius sat close to enjoy the show. Kilgarrah – Merlin’s Noivern – kept busy herding Spinda away from anything she approached that was solid enough to cause bruises if she ran into it.

Harmony, Arthur’s Bayleef, lay side-to-side with Caliburn and Arthur took care of settling Clawitzer into a nearby fountain while Merlin worked his homemade poultice onto the blistered burn. Luckily, it seemed to work since Caliburn fluttered his eyes in pleasure from the cool and soothing sensations. Merlin didn’t notice, busy wrapping the leg in bandages now, but Arthur noticed every shift each of his Poke̒mon ever made.

“Your Spinda’s the only one you haven’t nicknamed,” Arthur called out, as much a real inquiry as it was an amendment for his earlier hostility.

“Yeah,” Merlin agreed, turning to face him better, “I wanted to name her Merlin Jr also, but I already had Swellow so I just left it. I think any other name would just confuse her further.”

“Or you just aren’t that imaginative.”

“I could always name her Arthur Jr.”

“You would name a girl Arthur Jr?”

“I would’ve named her Merlin Jr if I hadn’t already thought of it.”

Arthur laughed. He glanced away quickly though and scratched his head when he next asked, “Where are you headed, once you’re finished in Lumiose?”

Merlin tilted his head, careful to let himself smile slowly, in case Arthur wasn’t offering what it sounded like he was offering. “I’ve always wanted to see the Glittering Cave. Might head that direction.”

Arthur returned his searching gaze. “That’s a long way to travel on your own.”

“That’s why I haven’t gotten very far.”

“Would you say no to company? It’s not that Gwen isn’t a great companion – she is, and I love her to bits, we’ve known each other since we wore diapers – but I need a change of pace. An adventure with another guy might be just what I need to freshen up from today’s embarrassing defeat.”

Merlin let his smile shine to its maximum wattage. It was easy to see that Arthur and Gwen really had known each other for years. Much as he would hate to part ways with Gwen and Morgana so soon, he wanted to move on from Lumiose more. After all, any amount of distance he could put between himself and his family was worth the sacrifice as far as Merlin was concerned. “Sounds like a blast.”

And, just like every time he thought of his _prestigious_ family legacy, Merlin’s eyes began to itch as though his coloured contacts had gone dry and his hereditary golden eyes were standing ready to sabotage him of any real friends.

“ _You can’t trust this research to anyone, son,” spoke golden eyes, just like his. “Do you understand?! Promise me, boy!”_

“ _I do, dad! I promise I won’t tell!_ ”

_No talk allowed of the research being done into yet unknown Eeveelutions. No telling mom about the undocumented testing going on overnight in the lab. No sharing with classmates about the breeding of Eevees going on in the basement._

In the end, Merlin’s silence hadn’t protected his father from Hunith, a woman who had once been a Poke̒mon nurse and was clever enough to know when her husband was keeping secrets. When she couldn’t shake the truth out of her son, she investigated herself and had immediately called whoever could stop what was happening to the Eevees when she found them.

His golden eyes could have made him famous and respected – the known son of Professor Balinor Cedar, the renowned Poke̒mon researcher who unlocked the potential of Eevee in all its evolutions. Instead, his eyes were something to be hidden and shamed because his father was a criminal and mentally unhinged. It didn’t matter that he had been uncredited with discovering the conditions for creating a Sylveon or that he had gifted his first success to his only son.

None of that mattered because it was all behind him. All that really mattered to Merlin was what lay in front of him: a new adventure with a new friend – one who would never learn about Merlin’s estrangement from his father or the true colour of his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Arthur definitely finds out. I know because there's a scene I cut which details a betrayed!Arthur and exposed!Merlin having one of their emotional campfires. And, I know, what a weird way to turn things unnecessarily angsty. But see, this was already the crackiest thing I've ever written (okay, maybe not written, crackiest I've posted). I figured nothing I could do with giving Merlin a dark secret to hide from friends again was going to make it any worse. So.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
